1. Hand Hygiene

Wash your hands! If the pandemic has taught us anything it’s the importance of hygiene in preventing the spread of diseases. Germs and viruses can enter your body as you rub your eyes out of habit or eye irritation. Remember the 2-minute hand washing rule from WHO? Because we do most of our tasks with our hands, washing and keeping them clean is not just essential but crucial. This way you keep eye infections at bay too. In case there’s no water source around, keep a small bottle of sanitizer with you always.

2. Be Mindful Of Your Reflexes

What do we do when our eyes twitch, itch, or are invaded by an irritant? We rub them! That’s our very first reflex. But do you know rubbing your eyes causes more damage than relief? Rubbing your eyes roughly and frequently can break tiny blood vessels present around the eye area. This results in bloodshot eyes and dark circles around your eyes. So stop, if you do.

3. Contact Lenses Hygiene

Contact lenses are a blessing for specs-wearers to glam up their looks. But what happens when you do not change contact lens liquid daily or do not wash your hands before touching your lenses? It’s best to steer clear of these bad contact lens habits The lens, the case, and the solution inside: all become a breeding ground for infection-causing bacteria. Contact lens wearers have a higher risk for keratitis, an infection of the cornea which is often called corneal ulcers. Viruses, bacteria, fungi, and a rare but serious eye parasite can cause keratitis which may get into your eyes through your lenses. Find out more about the different types of eye infections here Other than that, lens wearers who do not maintain contact lens hygiene may catch pink eye or conjunctivitis.

4. Avoid Sharing Personal Products

Sharing is caring but not when it comes to personal care products like makeup, towels, and pillows. Especially when someone has a persisting eye infection. If someone in the family shows symptoms of conjunctivitis or pinkeyes, separate his or her belongings and give them a separate room until they have recovered.

5. Remove Eye Makeup Before Bed

Sleeping with eye makeup? This is never a good idea. The dry flakes from your mascara or the shimmer from your eyeshadow can enter the eyes and may scratch the cornea causing redness and discomfort. Often this eye makeup accumulates, forming a crusty layer over your eyes. This buildup can erode the cornea, cause eye pain, and irritation. Sometimes if left untreated, it may even lead to vision loss. Immediately book an appointment with the eye doctor if you suffer any abnormal eye symptoms that cause concern.

6. Clean Your Eyeglasses And Sunglasses Regularly

Just like you clean your clothes and shoes, eyeglasses and sunglasses are no different. Not just the lenses but you also need to clean the nose pads as well. Its connection with the oily T-zone demands regular cleaning for dermatological purposes.

How To Clean Eyeglasses And Sunglasses:

Step 1: Run the glasses under warm water. Use a mild soap and clean your frames using your fingertips.

Step 2: Rinse the frames thoroughly under warm water.

Step 3: Use a moist towel dipped in rubbing alcohol to clean the nose pads and earpieces of your frames.

Step 4: Wipe it dry with a microfibre cloth.

7. Sleep Without Your Contact Lens

While it may seem obvious to remove your contact lenses and eyeglasses before sleeping it’s a very common mistake. What happens if you sleep in your contacts? It’s downright dangerous and can lead to temporary or permanent vision loss. While you’re sleeping, your contacts keep your eyes from getting the oxygen and hydration it needs to fight bacterial or microbial invasion. This drastically increases your risk of eye infection, swollen eyes, and stinging pain. If you do sleep with your contacts on by mistake and experience any serious symptoms remove it as soon as possible and visit your eye doctor immediately.